On 2013-08-25 20:42, Sunny&Rummy wrote:That's the ticket. How's the Lemon Hart 151 working for you now?

i'd never done the 151 swizzle properly before- the key is not just the flashblending, but then pouring it into an ice-filled glass.

which does lead me to wonder, is the 151 really necessary if throwing in so much ice to make it enjoyable? wouldnt the drink work just as well with less ice and an ordinary proof rum? and, isnt it just a daiquiri? arent they all?

Bought a bottle of Botran solera 1893 at Hi Times wine after the Chli cook-off this afternoon. Not much nose to it but I found it tasty. Kinda reminds me of appleton 21 although the Boltran is lighter and not near as rich and flavorful as the Appleton. Not a bad sipper for less than 25 bucks plus you get a pair of nice dbl old fashions with the bottle.
Cheers

Went to the Merchant Hotel in Belfast, smelt their bottle of Wray & Nephew 17 - bottled at barrel proof is now 154%! From the smell it is not what I expected, smelt soft & nice but I'm sure the funk would have been in the taste.

It was about £50 a teaspoon at the old price & they don't sell it anymore as they only have a little left. The barman did said they were to going to start producing it again (maybe its a rumour?). Thats probably the closest Im going to get to a 'authentic' mai tai.

Had a $200 mai tai (Appleton 21, Clement Shrubb, Clement VSOP) - underwhelmed given the cost of ingredients! Tried a sample of Clement VSOP & Clement Shrub for the 2nd time neat - have added them to my shopping list.

Went over the road to the Spaniard, had another mai tai (Hawaiian style, OJ & pineapple), sampled Skipper demerara rum neat & had a double Plantation 2000 Barbados neat. Will add both to my shopping list!

Two mai tais, a sipper & 4 confirmed on the shopping list = today was a good day!

On 2013-08-30 17:23, Sunny&Rummy wrote:Can you still shell out £750 at the Merchant and get them to actually make you a Vic Mai Tai with the 17 or have they had to stop doing that as well?

It's 'display purposes only' - no sales. The bottle is a distillery sample bottle so its not much to look at (otherwise Id have posted a photo).

If you are in Belfast anyway, i advise doing what i did: go there, look, have a posh mai tai, go across the street to the Spaniard & chat to the locals

At £50 a teaspoon maybe I'd go for it, at £750 a drink no way!

For a rum related £750 I probably could...

Buy one of every Appleton (up to the 30 year)? Fly to Jamaica & visit the distillery? Buy the $100 mai tai ingredients 7.5 times over & have a $100 mai tai everyday after work for approximately a year? etc etc

Well, not 'right now', really. But, last night, I made and tried a Cosmopolitan. Just curious, because I'd never had one during its recent rise and subsequent decline. Surprisingly, it was good enough to try a second. But now, today, I can't find my man card anywhere. Where'd I put that silly thing?
_________________"The rum's the thing..."